Maker: Shigeki Tanaka (click to see more by this maker)Price: $493.95
Item num: 87121Blade length: 8.25 in.Total length: 13.75 in.Blade width: 2.00 in.Blade thickness: 0.15 in.Item weight: 8.30 oz.Shipment weight: 18.75 oz.Blade: Kasumi-yaki blade formed from a suminagashi jigane and aogami #2 hagane (Hrc 63-64)Bolster: Buffalo horn ferruleHandle: Ho woodDescription: Kamagata Usuba are used for cutting meats and vegetables into extremely thin slices typical of Japanese cuisine. These blades are quite thin and should not be used on hard rind vegetables. Both the handle and the blade are created specifically for right-handed use. The Kamagata style combines a sharp tip that can be used for detail work with a long, keen edge for slicing.
This damascus slicing knife is hand forged by 4th generation blacksmith Shigeki Tanaka. For more than 100 years, the Tanaka family has been noted for their fine quality farming tools. Due to declining demand for farm tools, the family began making cutlery. To increase their technique, they apprenticed their youngest son, Shigeki, to a famous Takefu knife maker. Since returning to his father's shop, Shigeki has become noted for the quality of his knives.
The blade features a jigane, which is made by folding together layers of different types of carbon steels. This unique process creates a Jigane with sixteen exceedingly thin, alternating layers, called suminagashi or damascus. This is then hand forged to a layer of high carbon steel (aogami #2) and tempered to Rockwell c63 - 64. This process imparts a visual tension to the blade and a brilliant, long lasting cutting edge. Because blue steel is a carbon steel, these knives must be dried after use to prevent rust or tarnish. The maker's mark is hand chiseled on the blade and a ho wood and buffalo horn handle is installed.
Traditional Japanese chef's knives differ from European-styled knives in that they are sharpened with a bevel on only one side. The opposite side is slightly hollowed. Because of this, these knives can generally be honed to a sharper edge than can double bevel knives.